Safety Net by ERIC CRUMPhttp://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/
en-usCopyright 2015, Marshall Democrat-NewsThe hospital quandaryhttp://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/56896/
http://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/56896/Comparison can't be helped. Since moving to the Chicago area last summer, I have, of course, been noting the many differences between old hometown and new. As you can imagine, the differences are many, but there are also some similarities, and one of them was in the news this morning.
Chicago, too, has a historic hospital quandary.
The iconic 1914 Cook County Hospital has been empty for more than a decade, and like Marshall's historic Fitzgibbon Hospital on South Brunswick Avenue, efforts to...Wed, 29 Jan 2014 11:22:33 -0600It froze on my parade!http://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/56263/
http://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/56263/"Don't bring around a cloudTo rain on my parade."
All Barbra Streisand (in Funny Girl) had to worry about was a little rain. So what? You get out your umbrella and wring out your socks later. No big deal. She had nothing to fret about. It didn't rain on our parade Friday.
It froze.
It's always nice to have a crisp nip in the air for the Christmas parade sponsored annually by the Marshall Chamber of Commerce. It gets us all in the mood and ensures Santa and Mrs. Claus won't get overheated...Tue, 10 Dec 2013 15:37:43 -0600St. Peter's musical Michael Jordan leaves the stage behindhttp://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/56117/
http://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/56117/Think about what it takes to play the piano: A mind that can manage two hands doing two different complicated things at the same time, hands that can do two different complicated things at the same time, and (this is key) fingers with the strength and dexterity to do what the mind and hands have in mind.
It ain't as easy as it looks.
Now, try putting three fingers out of commission &mdash; because they are broken and bandaged and not in any shape to dance the ivories.
I dare say most...Mon, 02 Dec 2013 11:28:41 -0600'Brother against brother' is more than a textbook clichehttp://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/54818/
http://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/54818/As school children, many of us learned that the American Civil War often pitted "brother against brother." For my part, that sounded pretty horrible, but I don't recall dwelling on it much. Those brothers were long gone, ancient, generic historybook characters. It didn't occur to me at the time to imagine what it would be like if I was in one uniform, armed, instructed to kill anyone in the other uniform, and my actual brother was wearing the other uniform.
One thing very valuable about...Fri, 13 Sep 2013 11:54:26 -0500Breaking news: Confederate & Union troops approaching Marshallhttp://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/54785/
http://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/54785/Local officials have received reports that Col. Shelby's Iron Brigade could be headed toward Marshall.
The southern cavalry unit has been causing havoc for the federals all along its route through southwest Missouri, and according to the latest reports, the riders were headed toward Boonville.
Whether their course takes them into Saline County remains to be seen, but Union commanders are sure to respond to Shelby's brazen attacks soon.
Officials are urging area farmers to be prepared to...Thu, 12 Sep 2013 02:16:30 -0500Thank you, Marshall!http://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/54085/
http://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/54085/This is long overdue: I want to thank everyone in Marshall -- and especially the folks at the Marshall Democrat-News, Marshall Cultural Council and Marshall Municipal Band -- for the wonderful send-off a few weeks ago. I was touched and grateful for all the kind words and good wishes.
The MDN staff put together a wonderful memento in the form of a mock front page of the paper with "stories" that were kind comments from friends and colleagues. And I will never ever forget the band playing "St....Wed, 14 Aug 2013 15:49:52 -0500You might not think so based on recent weather, but winter is doomedhttp://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/51966/
http://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/51966/Spring
(With thanks to Lucy Fletcher for the idea!)Tue, 05 Mar 2013 15:37:56 -0600'Ask the Superintendent' forum provides a chance to learn about Marshall Public Schoolshttp://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/49544/
http://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/49544/Public officials often say they like to hear from constituents.
Citizens often say they want public officials to hear their concerns.
Getting the two together isn't always easy or automatic.
The Marshall Democrat-News and new Marshall Public Schools Superintendent Ryan Huff are planning to try something that hasn't, as far as we know, been done before in Marshall -- an online public forum to bring a public official and constituents together.
Mr. Huff suggested the possibility several weeks...Tue, 18 Sep 2012 12:46:31 -0500National Register of Historic Places: Strings attached? Not necessarilyhttp://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/48866/
http://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/48866/The Saline County Historic Preservation Commission is in the process of considering a nomination to place the old Fitzgibbon Hospital, 868 S. Brunswick Ave., on the National Register of Historic Places.
This is the first nomination in 24 years for a Marshall place to be nominated.
Given the amount of time that has passed since the National Register was in the news locally, it's understandable there's some misunderstanding about what the designation means. I've heard some concerns expressed...Wed, 01 Aug 2012 09:33:36 -0500Marshall's Civil War battlehttp://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/48615/
http://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/48615/Editor's note: This story originally was published in The Marshall Democrat-News Newcomers' Guide, 2008 edition. As with many Civil War events, the Battle of Marshall remains one open to interpretation, with gaps in what we know, competing theories and some speculation about what happened and what significance the incident had. In the lead up to the battle's 150th anniversary (Oct. 13, 2013), we will publish more stories and commentary about the battle. Marshall Cultural Council is sponsoring a...Sat, 14 Jul 2012 10:02:17 -0500Health care is key to economic healthhttp://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/48238/
http://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/48238/I ran into a friend at the farmers' market a couple of weeks ago, someone I hadn't seen in months. He said his job had him traveling all over the western U.S., and he was not home for long between trips. He described the wonderful places he'd seen, but then he noted that none of them was without drawbacks: horrendous traffic jams, bone-dry terrain, etc. He said, "I've never been so glad to live in Marshall."
Me, too.
I haven't traveled nearly as far lately as my friend has, but his comment...Mon, 18 Jun 2012 17:47:18 -0500Guinea pig voteshttp://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/46227/
http://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/46227/The presidential primary election is not likely to make history for voter turnout -- unless perhaps for the lack of. But in Saline County, this election will be remembered as the first time touch-screen voting machines were available at polling places.
I had the privilege of being the first voter in Marshall's Ward 3 to use one of the new machines. That is, I got to be the guinea pig.
Fortunately, the process was painless.
The poll workers, Sue Hassler and Cherryl Flandermeyer, were...Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:39:53 -0600Happy birthday, Bob Jameshttp://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/45426/
http://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/45426/For his 72nd birthday (Sunday, Dec. 25), I wish I could give Bob James a particular gift that is too big to wrap and certainly beyond my power to give: I would like to untether his reputation from the "smooth jazz" label that is so often applied to his work.
Creative people generally have an unsettled relationship with labels. They often publicly renounce them while gathering the commercial benefits they afford. If a label sticks, it can seem like a set of iron bars, hard and unyielding...Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:23:06 -0600Agenda for meeting: Jazz it up!http://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/36390/
http://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/36390/There will be a meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 5, in the Marshall Public Library meeting room.
The subject: Creating a jazz festival in Marshall.
Why?
July 28 "red dog" posted a comment on The Marshall Democrat-News website responding to the news that Marshall Cinema would close in a few weeks:
"There has been much written on the blogs concerning the closing of the Marshall Cinema. Most who have posted their thoughts are of the idea that Marshall is experiencing death throes.
Is...Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:22:40 -0600Dancing on the keyboard: The latest from Bob Jameshttp://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/45031/
http://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/45031/Four hands, two people, one keyboard.
Bob James' latest recording is a small dance across an ivory stage as he and Keiko Matsui together create a rich, beautiful sound.
"Altair and Vega" seems to be fusion of classical piano with sparkles throughout of jazz-influenced improvisation. It moves between catchy, lilting melodies and powerful, moving passages.
The pair performed the title piece on James' 2000 album, "Dancing on the Water," and here they build on that foundation. "Dancing," a...Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:30:59 -0600Can the Girl Scout cabin be saved?http://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/44973/
http://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/44973/The Girl Scout cabin at Indian Foothills Park is in some danger of being lost, as Marshall Democrat-News staff writer Sarah Reed reported yesterday.
It might be tempting at first glance to assign "good guy" and "bad guy" labels for those involved in the use and care of the cabin, but I hope everyone resists jumping to those kinds of conclusions. This is an interesting case of how historic buildings become endangered and how intangible values like love and nostalgia sometimes compete with...Thu, 01 Dec 2011 10:21:25 -0600Dress righthttp://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/44959/
http://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/44959/On Facebook yesterday an acquaintance posted a timely quote: "There is no bad weather, just inappropriate clothing."
He allowed as how that was a good observation, having just returned from a run during which "the rain started to harden as I arrived home."
He attributed the saying to an old cross-country coach. Others chimed in, asserting that the quote came from Maria Montessori or was a Scandinavian proverb.
A reply from someone down south, wondering what all the fuss was about. "The rain...Wed, 30 Nov 2011 12:20:52 -0600Another Valley football great is losthttp://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/44104/
http://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/44104/Thomas "Tim" Wright died in March.
Mr. Wright has not lived in the area for some time, but there might be a few Missouri Valley College football fans who remember him.
He graduated from Valley in 1952 and played under famed MVC football coach Volney Ashford.
Certainly Marvin "Juicy" Sprigg remembers Tim Wright. Juicy nominated him in 2010 for MVC's Football Hall of Fame.
The nomination summary reads, in part: "He was known as a triple threat football player. [He could pass, kick and run.]...Wed, 19 Oct 2011 16:56:16 -0500The streets are alive with the sound of musichttp://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/42371/
http://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/42371/The best cities have fertile sidewalks -- such fertile sidewalks that musicians sprout from street corners and entertain passersby for hours, filling the air with music.
This observation is from a previous life when I traveled often. I've been to places like New York, Chicago, New Orleans, Ann Arbor, Minneapolis, Denver, Pittsburgh, Nashville and more.
And in most of those cities, it's common to come across musicians playing wherever crowds gather, sometimes solo, sometimes in small combos....Thu, 07 Jul 2011 17:47:31 -0500Zookeeper seeks lonely musical instrumentshttp://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/42331/
http://www.marshallnews.com/blogs/crump/entry/42331/I'm looking for lonely musical instruments -- specfically, an abandoned banjo or a dusty fiddle or a guitar that's been in exile in the back of the closet under a pile of old clothes for years.
Why?
When I lived in Champaign, Ill., a group of musicians the public library hosted an instrument petting zoo. It was just like a regular petting zoo, but instead of kitties and puppies, chickens and goats, they had banjos and bongos, fiddles and drums.
Members of an area string band were on hand to...Tue, 05 Jul 2011 16:46:57 -0500